This cache recognises the importance of the grazing industry - Sheep and (mostly) Cattle are the mainstays of rural Barcaldine.
Astrebla is a small genus of xerophytic (desert-loving) grasses found only in Australia They are the dominant grass across much of the continent. They are commonly known as Mitchell grass after Scottish explorer, Thomas Mitchell
Individual Mitchell grass plants live for 20 to 30 years. Mature plants produce new seedlings once or twice over this period, because of the erratic nature of rainfall and droughts in outback Australia. Mature plants are well adapted to this harsh environment. They cope well with droughts through a deep root system, and by maintaining reserves of starch in rhizomes at the base of tussocks. These reserves are used to promote new growth when sufficient rainfall occurs to allow plant growth.
Mitchell grass is very well adapted to moderate grazing pressure because it evolved with intermittent grazing and wildfires prior to European settlement. In fact, Mitchell grass tends to die out over time if it is neither grazed nor burnt, resulting in lower plant density and yield.
Continued overgrazing also results in reduced Mitchell grass density, with plant survival reduced under high grazing pressure. High grazing pressure during drought is very detrimental to Mitchell grass. The combined stresses of heavy grazing and drought lead to the death of a large proportion of Mitchell grass plants in the pasture.
(Source: http://is.gd/6aGLZM)
Series Notes: Barcaldine lies at the crossroads of major transport routes north-south and east-west; on the major transport routes from Townsville to Adelaide and Rockhampton to Darwin. Road Trains, some of considerable length, travel these roads 24/7. Caravans galore mostly during daytime hours, highlight the significance of the tourist trade to the area.
Along each of these routes is a series of caches highlighting the centrality of Barcaldine as an access hub in Central Western Queensland.
The Eastern Series of twelve caches commences some 22 or so klms from Barcaldine on the Capricorn Highway from Rockhampton. It ends at a rest stop on the outskirts of the town. All caches of this series, except one, are on the left (western) side of the highway, so there is no need to cross the highway in search of a cache. Roadside parking is available at all caches, even for caravans.
If you are travelling out of Barcaldine, please reverse the direction of some aspects in these descriptions. Not all points will be visible when travelling east, as they will be on the opposite side of the road facing away from the direction of travel.